The last 10 years

Today is October 27th 2020. What a crazy 10 years it has been!! My genetic testing came back negative for the BRAC1 and BRAC2 gene. My Breast Cancer is not genetic. As I left off I started reconstruction that fall of 2010. I had a tissue expander put in and slowly started the process of stretching out my skin to prepare it for the implant. This was a surgical procedure. The expander is like a port with a bag. The nurse would stick a long needle inside to add the saline solution to expand the bag and stretch my skin. It looked like a Barbie boob. A bump with no nipple, LOL. Towards the end it was sore. I just knew the skin could not stretch any further. This took place over the course of several months. Finally in February 2011 I was able to have my reconstruction surgery. It was rescheduled one time due to my slight fever on surgery day. This time a snow storm hit and I was bound and determined to get this done! Ric and I got a hotel room up in Troy where my surgery took place. This way we knew come Hell or high water I was having this surgery! Everything went as planned it was a big success. I had a latissimus dorsi flap preformed. Went back in to have a larger implant inserted and then some fat injected in my upper chest area. My chest was concaved in due to the mastectomy and removal of tissue and lymph nodes. After everything healed I had my nipple and areola tattooed. It looked great! I ended up staying on Tamoxifen for 10 years. That is what my Oncologist suggested. I experienced the normal side effects. Hot flashes like crazy!! All I wanted to do was drink super cold water and have a fan on me 24/7! I did have issues with my thyroid. I think the chemo or radiation did it in! I was experiencing hair loss, and fatigue. I lost all my eye lashes. I felt like my tongue was fat in my mouth. I was so tired and cranky. It was all I could do to brush my teeth. My arms felt like I had 50 pound weights attached to them. My face was puffy, I felt like I was squinting all the time. I would get so tired and out of breath when walking up stairs. This happened a few weeks after I started the Tamoxifen so I thought I might be allergic to it. My Oncologist suggested I meet with my OB to discuss my options. If I was allergic I needed to find a way to block my estrogen, since my cancer was hormone driven. Well he took one look at me and said "it’s your Thyroid I can tell by looking at you". He was spot on! I soon got on Synthroid medication and quickly felt like myself again! I has been 10 years sinces my diagnosis and I feel wonderful! Praising the Lord everyday for my recovery and continued health!

Genetic Testing

Well today marks 9 months since I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. It's hard to believe It's been that long already. All my treatments are completed and I've been taking taxoxfin for 2 weeks now.(only have 5 years to go) I go to the Doc's on Thursday to get genetic testing done to see if it runs in the family or not. So my girls can be aware when they get older. I will find out the results in 3 weeks. So fingers crossed and plenty of prayers that it is not. I'll let ya know the final results. Having a great summer so far and I start my reconstruction process this fall! YEA!!

3 weeks down, 3 to go

Well It's been awhile. I finished my chemo up in March. (thank God!)Now I've moved on to Radiation. Just finished my third week and so far so good! Skin is starting to get alittle tan, and under my arm is a little soar, but this is way better then chemo! Only 4 more weeks to go, then I'll be done with those 2 treatments. I still have my Herception every three weeks for a year, then Tamoxifen for 5 years, then Home free!! These treatments are really flying by. I can't believe it's already May. It seems so long ago since my diagnoisis. Some days I feel like I just had a bad dream and I'll wake up and It will all be alright. I still need to get genetic testing done to make sure this isn't heredatiary. I sure don't need to be worrying about my girls getting this. Me dealing with it is one thing but not my kids! I know the Lord will watch out for them, as he has me.

Number 5, Number 5

Just finishing up my 5Th treatment right now. Then I'll sit here for 3 extra hours with the cold cap on my head. Then I'll be heading home to tend to my 3 kiddies.I thank God that I feel well enough to do that, because the give me no down time and certainly no time to feel sorry for myself! Boy I love these kids! I set up my first consultation with the Radiologist on March 15Th. I'm real interested to see what's all involved with the radiology process. Once I'm done with chemo I should be able to jump right into the radiation apts. Which should have me totally done with all treatments by the middle of May! Just in time for spring. It couldn't be a more perfect time of the year, with all the flowers blooming after their fight up from the darkness into the light. That is exactly how I feel with this journey I've been on. I will be coming out of the dark into the light. Just as Christ did with his death and Resurrection. Coming out of the darkness and into his glorified body. Praise you Jesus for doing this for us!

Number 4

I just had my 4Th treatment on Monday February 8Th. This was by far the best one yet. The Doctor said each one would be different, and she was right. At first they slowly started getting worse. The first one was fine, then the second one I got tired the week end after, then the third I was tired by the Wednesday after my treatment, and it continued through the weekend. This time was much better. I was tired on the Thursday after,and I slept on and off most of the day. Ric was able to get work off, and stay with the kids so I could rest. You always know your spouse is wonderful( that's why you marry them), but when something like this happens, you hope they step up, put the superhero cape on, and take off. He's done just that. He has been my personal superhero! Stepping in with the kids, and the home duties like he's done them all along. By Friday I felt rested and much stronger. I hope this continues for the remaining 2. I still have the bitter medal taste in my mouth, not as strong as last time, but it's still there. Everything I drink taste bitter. I need to push through it, and continue to drink fluids, it really seamed to make a difference this time with my treatment, not being dehydrated. I feel that's why I bounced back so quickly this time I made sure to drink alot of fluids the week before treatment, and then the week of to flush out the chemo. I'm sure glad I was feeling better this time because the kids had a snow day Wednesday and Thursday after my treatment, and then their winter break started on Friday. They are home until Tuesday the 16Th. They can enjoy their winter break outside playing in the snow.

4 down- 2 left

Had my fourth treatment on Monday the 8th. Everything went well, had alittle trouble with my port. Had a good blood return but getting fluids in was alittle tough. The nurse said sometimes a little clot can form inside the port which makes it hard to push fluids in. But between the nurse, and my sister(whose also a nurse ) they got the needle in the right spot, and we were good to go! feel really good today, hope this continues through the week. Went to see my surgeon today for my 3 month check up. everything is healing according to plan, I should be on track to get my reconstruction 4-6 months after my radiation which should end sometime mid May. My skin will need time to heal. Which puts it September at the earlist, which would be a nice birthday present, or November at the latest. It's a littler long than I hoped but what can ya do? I Starting having hot flashes ever since my 3rd treatment. The Dr. said the chemo could chemically put me into a early menopause, but once I stop the chemo my cycle's should go back to normal. I figure well, I have a jump start on the hot flashes I might as well keep going. I don't want to start this crap all over again in a few years. So we will see what happens.

3 down 3 to go

finished my third treatment on Monday the 18Th. It went good. Feel alittle jittery and tired today. The chemo I'm on will lower my hemoglobin which in return makes me feel this way. So I will load up on some good iron. A juicy steak and Gatorade always helps! Luckily I'm off all week and can rest up. The day after my treatment I go in to receive a shot of "Neulasta" This helps stimulate the bone marrow to produce white blood cells so they don't drop to low. While I was waiting I met a Women named Barbara. She was just recently diagnosed with breast cancer. She seems to be in her late 50's early 60's. she come zipping by in her electric wheel chair, climbs out and sets herself down in the chair next to me. We began talking because another women ask me who I was waiting for. I said, I'm here for me, and she said " your kidding" you look so healthy and young. I said I feel healthy. She began to ask what type of cancer I had, and when I told her my story, then Barbara began telling me about herself. Her mother died 2 years ago. She was first diagnosed with breast cancer, which surgery took care of but, she had some other complications which resulted in an infection and then soon after her death. Her husband left her many years ago for a much younger women. She had 5 small children to raise alone. She hasn't told anyone of her diagnosis, she doesn't want her children to tell their father. She's worried he'll start trouble for her. She was in a car accident and broke 8 bones in her foot and she's almost paralyzed on her left side. This is why she needs the wheel chair. She told me I need a knee replacement more operations on my foot and I'm tired of all this. She said she doesn't want to have any more surgeries. Including breast surgery. I just felt so sorry for this women, to be alone with burden and so many important life decisions to make and she has no one to confide in. It just made me realize how blessed I am to have the out pour of prayers, and the wonderful system that's around me keeping me going. I'm asking for prayers for Barbara in her journey, that she finds the strength and support to keep fighting.